The man, who has not been identified, had failed to pay any maintenance for his daughter for more than 16 years.

When the Child Support Agency investigated, officials found that his account held enough money to pay everything he owed.

A similar lump sum deduction order, which compels banks to open their books to investigators, was granted in the case of a father who had failed to pay towards his child’s upkeep in London for eight years.

His bank account was identified and £20,000 taken which was given to the child’s mother.

Since 2009, over £2m (€2.2m) has been deducted from the bank accounts of parents in the UK who have failed to pay the child maintenance which they owe.

Last year, the courts imposed suspended prison sentences on more than 1,000 parents who refused to pay child maintenance.

However, these victories are dwarfed by the £3.7bn ((€4.2bn) still unpaid by parents and the CSA has regularly been criticised for failing in its role.

In June this year, it emerged that separated parents had to wait an average of three months before payments were processed and the CSA was accused of forcing fathers into debt.